Our wonderful Women’s Organising Forum members and steering group introducing our regional conference today. This is the fantastic culmination of a years work! #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

Our brilliant National Education Union President Emma Rose 🧡 opening our regional women’s conference today. We are here to take up space and make a difference! #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘Talking about education at District meetings were like coming up for air….we are not here to apologise for asking questions or taking up space’ Emma Rose 🧡 #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘Find one other women to come into spaces with you….it gives you the confidence to speak up’ Emma Rose 🧡 #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘I don’t go into meetings as rep as me, I go in as we’. There is power in the Union and in the collective Emma Rose 🧡 #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘As women we hold the space; we can bring other women into that space. I didn’t set out to be President of the NEU - I became a teacher to make lives better (and change the world!)’ Emma Rose 🧡 #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘Find one other person to go along to a union meeting with you. As women within the union we need to be taking up the space.’ Emma Rose 🧡 #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

‘Pedagogy, curriculum and assessment are union issues - as well as terms, conditions and pay. We should be collectively organising around these.’ #NEUwomen #CPD Emma Rose 🧡 NEU Eastern

The first girls PE kit - the gym slip! Quickly followed by shirts and ties to copy existing boys public schools uniform (apart from the skirts - trousers are seen as the last bastion of masculinity!) Kate Stephenson #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

The inter-war period saw the lower classes adopting school uniforms. Costs and types of uniforms was an issue then and continues to be nearly 100 years later Kate Stephenson NEU Eastern #NEUwomen #CPD

Uniform rules were relaxed throughout the 60’s and 70’s - with the absolution of corporal punishment in 1987, strict uniforms were seen as a quick way to improve behaviour (without good evidence) Kate Stephenson #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

Currently, 82% of secondary schools have a requirement for a blazer. As well as behaviour, strict uniform is seen as equalising, and showing a sense of ‘Britishness’. None have any foundation. Kate Stephenson #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

School uniforms were seen as ways to protect young women - with the school colours and badge denoting that they were underage Kate Stephenson #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

St Trinian’s, starting in 1941, started the sexualisation of school girls. The 90’s increased the mainstream popular culture version of this eg The Craft, Britney, school disco etc #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

In 2008, a report found that a third of teenage girls had been harassed because of their school uniforms. Kate Stephenson #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

We’re moving into the first of three workshop sessions of today. We’re starting with Assertiveness: Learning to Say No. This is definitely a skill to be practised! #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

The seven C’s of effective communication - a really useful reminder for us all #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

Our amazing Women’s OF member Amy Clarke is taking us through sexism this afternoon. Toxic masculinity, incel culture and the manosphere are our hot topics - and how we challenge them #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

A fascinating session on Gender Action with Annie Morgan, the Vice Chair of the National Education Union National Women’s Organising Forum - some great discussion! #NEUwomen #CPD NEU Eastern

Felt I needed to say this. #trolls #cowards